In my house, Nurse Mom sees plenty of nighttime action.
My kids wake at midnight from coughing fits and scary dreams.
They tiptoe to my bedroom in pitch darkness to inform me they need to go potty.
They crawl out of bed in tears because they can’t find a favorite stuffed animal tucked deep beneath the covers. They expect me to find it.
They talk in their sleep.
They bump their heads on the wall.
They’re thirsty. So they tap my shoulder at 2:00 a.m. asking for fresh water.
Sometimes they just want to know if it’s morning yet and may they please watch TV?
No, no, you may not. Not at three o’clock in the blessed a.m. Please go back to bed. Mommy needs her sleep.
I’m tired.
Very tired.
You, too?
“Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship” (Romans 12:1).
Have you ever thought of fatigue as worship? It never crossed my mind until a friend described her approach to surviving newborn feedings. “Every time the baby woke me up to eat,” she explained, “I prayed, ‘Lord, this is my sacrifice to you.’ ”
My sacrifice.
Think about that for a minute. Even if you’re past the baby stage, occasional sleep loss is part of the parenting deal. Toddlers wet the bed. Teens drive the car to the basketball game. Kids of all ages wake up puking or feverish. So we worry. We ache. We run to the store at midnight for orange Gatorade. And even when the kids are sleeping safe and sound and healthy, plenty of us stay up too late scouring Pinterest, typing e-mails, or dropping JPGs into photo books because there is no earlier quiet time to indulge.
Sleep for moms is a luxury.
But this tired body, these burning, bloodshot eyeballs, these maniacal tears dripping from pure exhaustion. Could it be? It’s all an offering of thanks—to the One who granted us the gift of motherhood.
“The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory” (Romans 8:16–17, emphasis added).
Fatigue is physical suffering. And physical suffering can be a holy thing indeed. Consider that your struggle with sleep deprivation makes you more like Christ, who suffered unimaginable torment on the cross for you and me. When we suffer in return, Jesus sees us, He sustains us with bottomless compassion, and He fathoms the deeper value of our sacrifice.
Yes, parenting can mutate a mother into Zombie Mommy some days (or years). But these seasons of exhaustion will not last forever. So let’s find the higher purpose in them while we have no choice.
“Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up” (Galatians 6:9).
Blessings,
Becky
This post contains an excerpt from The SuperMom Myth: Conquering the Dirty Villains of Motherhood (Shiloh Run Press) by Becky Kopitzke. Used by permission.
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Does your journey through motherhood look different from what you imagined?
Do you struggle to measure up to your own standards?
Do you sometimes wish you could be like that other mom who seems to have it all together?
You are not alone.
The Supermom Myth: Conquering the Dirty Villains of Motherhood, a new book by Christian mom blogger Becky Kopitzke, is designed to encourage imperfect moms to laugh at ourselves, forgive ourselves, and discover the beautiful moms God created within. Delivered with down-to-earth humor and carefully applied biblical insight, The SuperMom Myth explores eight personified “dirty villains” of motherhood, including The Grouch on the Couch (Anger), Worry Woman (Fear), The Calendar Queen (Busyness), and more. Throughout this delightful read for every mom, Kopitzke offers a gentle reminder to rest in the super power of our grace-filled God.
Visit www.TheSuperMomMyth.com for more information, including trailer videos, reviews, and details on where to buy copies for yourself and your mom friends.
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